Ironing apparatus



Oct. 29, 1940. T. R. BUSH ET AL IRONING APPARATUS Filed May 14, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 115 clle.

INVENTORS 7 Zeodarz 77.1 5a) Z 7 4 Q Oct. 29, 1940- "r. R. BUSH ET AL IRONING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 14, 1936 Oct. 29, 1940. BUSH r AL 2,219,679

IRONING APPARATUS Filed May 14, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 HNVENTOR-S.

Ara 'mRN 1r Patented Oct. 29, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE IRONIN G APPARATUS Application May 14, 1936, Serial No. 79,650

4 Claims.

This invention relates to ironing apparatus and has reference in particular to improvements in portable hand operated ironers of the press type.

Ironing apparatus of the type illustrated comprise, in general, a base or suitable supporting member, a buck supported thereby, an ironin shoe movable into and away from operative engagement with the buck for ironing or pressing whatever clothes may be disposed upon the buck,

a pivoted arm connected to the base and to the shoe for movably supporting the shoe upon the base, and a means for applying pressure to the shoe after the same has been moved into operative position over the buck.

A principal object of the invention is to provide a novel means for supporting the arm and shoe upon the base, which means are operable for locking the arm in position so that pressure may be applied to the shoe using the arm as the point of reaction.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved mechanism for applying pressure to the shoe and for releasing the locking means incidental to the release of pressure on the shoe.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved form of buck construction.

Another object of the invention is to provide an ironing apparatus of the pressure type in which the parts are so designed and constructed that the apparatus is relatively light in weight so as to be portable.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from an inspection of the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which there are three sheets, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view partially in section illustrating an ironer of the press type embodying our invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan View of a portion of the ironer illustrated in Fig. l, certain of the parts being illustrated in section or broken away for more clearly illustrating the details of the mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 1', but illustrating certain of the parts thereof in a different position than that in which the parts are illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken in a plane along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along the staggered line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a view taken along the line 66 of Fig. 1 and illustrating in plan the buck with the ironing pad thereof removed;-

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line 'l'! of Fig. 6 but omitting bolts 60.

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view of the buck taken along the line 88 of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional View of the pressure applying mechanism for the shoe [6 taken along the line 99 of Fig. 1.

The ironing apparatus, as illustrated, may, comprise a suitable frame work 9 covered by an ornamental shroud l0 and upon which frame work a buck l2, an arm [4 and a shoe l6 are suitably supported, the arm l4 being pivoted at l8 on a shaft 20 supported by a pair of bearing members 22, which bearing members are secured to a pair of upstanding arms 24 on the frame by a plurality of screws 26. Pins 2! look the shaft 20 against rotation to the bearing members 22.

The forward end 28 of the arm thus is adapted to swing vertically and has connected to it the shoe I6 so that the shoe [6 is mounted for movement toward and away from the buck l 2.

The arm I4, it will be observed, is of channel shape and is adapted to form a housing for the locking mechanism associated with the shaft 20 and the mechanism associated with the forward end 28 of the arm which supports the shoe l5 and which is operable for applying pressure to the shoe and the buck.

The arm [4 has secured thereto, such as by a plurality of screws 30, a hub or bearing member 32 journaled on the shaft 2|] for pivotally supporting the arm 14, and which member 32 constitutes a part of a clutch or locking mechanism adapted for locking the arm M in the position in which it is illustrated in Fig. 1 so that pressure may be applied to the shoe I6.

The clutch or locking mechanism, as illustrated, comprises a friction clutch of the roller type and comprises a fixed or stationary member provided by the surface of the shaft 20, a locking roller 34, and a wedge-shaped member 36, the locking roller 34 and member 36 being disposed within a slot formed transversely in the member 32 and adjacent the shaft 20. The locking roller 34 is backed up by a spring pressed plunger 38 which may be provided with an adjusting screw 40 whereby the tension of the spring pressed plunger may be adjusted, the adjusting screw 40 being exposed by means of a suitable opening formed in the arm 14. The lockserved that the surface of the member 36 is ec- 5 centric with respect to the surface of the shaft 28 and forms a sort of an eccentric groove so that the roller 34 will wedge between the surfaces of the shaft 28 and the member 36.

When the arm is moved downwardly so as to bring the shoe iii into operative engagement with the buck ii, the locking mechanism automatically locks the arm ill in such position so that pressure may be applied to the shoe ill and the buck 52 using the arm it as a reaction. member or point of reaction for the pressure applied to the shoe [6.

A bell crank 12, pivotally carried by the hub member 32, is provided with an arm ll l extending through a slot in the member 52 and which arm M; is provided with a pin which pin 46 is adapted to engage the locking roller 3d and move the same out of operative position between the shaft 29 and the member so for releasing the locking mechanism so that the arm it may be pivoted about the shaft 2i? for moving the shoe i6 upwardly and away from the buck it. A spring 58, connected at one end to the rear of the arm i i and at the other to a portion of the base, is provided. for constraining the forward end 2% of the arm upwardly so that upon release of the locking mechanism, the shoe it; will be moved upwardly and away from the buck l2.

The buck l2 comprises a pair or" stamped sheet metal plates 5'2 and 5% formed to provide a surface complementary to that of the shoe it. The plates 52 and 5d are secured together in superposed relation and the edges of the lower plate 5 3 are curled over the edge of the upper plate 52 for securing the plate together and for providing a rigid buck 22. It will be observed that the lower plate 5t has a curved section lon itudinally thereof while the upper plate 52 has a curved section transversely thereof.

The plates 52 and 55* preferably are provided with a series of apertures for permitting the escape of condensed moisture and each of the plates 52 and 5d may be provided with embossings 58 abutting each other for assisting in maintaining the plates and Ed in spaced relation intermediate the edges thereof, certain of which embossings 58 may be provided with aligned openings through which securing bolts 053 may pass. Preferably the buck i2 is mounted upon the usual arrangement of springs or some other means (not shown) so as to have a resilient mounting. One or both of the plates 5:32 and 54 may be provided with a series of ribs 62 formed in the metal thereof for aiding in stiffening the buck l2.

The shoe MS is carried by the end 28 of the arm i l in such a manner to be movable relative thereto, a toggle mechanism being provided between theend 28 of the arm and the shoe it for spreading the same for applying pressure to the shoe. The shoe if; is provided with a bracket 66 secured thereto and carrying a pin 58. The pin 58 extends through openings in a pair of links it and a pair of guide members 12, each of the guide members "it? being provided with a vertically extending portion which is adapted to slide within a guideway formed between an inside portion of the arm i land a guide member TM suitably secured to the sides of the arm M at the inside thereof. The links it] comprise a portion of a toggle mechanism it which includes an arm 58, formed as a part of a bell crank 3i! mounted upon a shaft 82 carried by the guide members i i. A handle or operating arm 86 is connected to one arm, of the bell crank 80 and extends through a slot 85 in the arm it, the handle providing a means whereby the toggle 76 may be operated for spreading the shoe 5 6 and the arm M for the purpose of applying pressure to the shoe l6 when the same is in operative position over the buck l 2.

A lever 86 provided with a spring clip 88 engageable with the shank of the handle M is mounted upon the shaft 82 and has connected to a portion thereof a link 9! which is also con nected to one arm of the bell crank E2 so that the latter may be operated for releasing the looking mechanism associated with the shaft 23. The shank of the handle 84 is separable from the spring clip 88 when it is desired to move the handle from the position in which it is illustrated in Fig. i to the position in which it is illustrated in Fig. 3 for the purpose of applying pressure to the shoe.

Movement of the handle B 5 in a counter-clockwise direction from the position in which it is illustrated in Fig. l, is adapted to carry the lever 86 in such direction for operating the link 90- and bell crank 42 for releasing the locking mechanism associated with the shaft 29.

In operation, material to be ironed is placed upon the buck l2, the buck 22 preferably being provided with an ironing pad upon which the material to be ironed is laid and the shoe i5 is then moved so as to bring the same into contact with the material disposed upon the buck 52. As the arm I l is pivoted at 2d, movement of the end 28 of the arm by means of the handle 84 in a forward and downward direction will bring the shoe it into operative engagement with the material disposed upon the buck it.

Further movement of the handle lit in a forward and downward direction as from the position in which the handle is illustrated in Fig. 1 to the position in which the handle is illustrated in Fig. 3, will cause the shank of the handle 4 to separate from the spring clip 88 and will operate the toggle it for spreading the shoe it from the arm I4 thereby applying pressure through the shoe to the material disposed upon the buck 82. The shoe i6 is provided internally thereof with the. usual arrangement heating means (not shown), such as an electrical heating element.

As the buck i2 is resiliently mounted in any well known manner (not shown), the arm fi l may be moved in a clockwise direction to a position Where the shank thereof assumes a substantially horizontal position or engages with the end of the slot 85. Movement of the handle M in a counter-clockwise direction will release the pressure upon the shoe it when the handle iassumes a position in which-it is illustrated in Fig. 1. At this time the shank of the handle 83 is engaged by the spring clip 88. Further movement of the handle 83 in a counter-clockwise direction will carry the lever 86 along with it for operating the link 90 and bell crank -2 for releasing the locking mechanism associated with the shaft so that the end 28 of the arm may be swung upwardly for moving the shoe away from operative position over the buck 22.

The spring 48 constrains the end 28 of the arm upwardly so that as soon as the locking mechanism is released, the arm Hi will swing upwardly carrying the shoe i6 with it.

One feature of the particular type of locking mechanism illustrated is that it will lock the l4 against upward movement to accommodate any thickness of cloth or material between the shoe l6 and the buck I2.

While the invention has been described with some detail, it is to be understood that the description is for the purpose of illustration only and is not definitive of the limits of the inventive idea. The right is reserved to make such changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts as will fall within the purview of the attached claims.

We claim:

1. Ironing mechanism comprising a base having a buck mounted thereon, an arm carrying a shoe cooperable with said buck and having a pivoted connection with said base so that said shoe may be moved toward and away from said buck, a locking mechanism comprising a friction clutch in the connection between the arm and base and operable for holding said arm against movement with respect to said base when said shoe is disposed in operative position over said buck, a lever carried by said arm and connected to disengage said locking mechanism, and means for applying pressure between the shoe and the buck after the arm and. base have been locked against movement, said pressure applying means being operable by said lever carried by said arm.

2. Ironing mechanism comprising a base having a buck mounted thereon, a swinging arm carrying a shoe and having a pivoted connection with said base, said shoe being cooperable with said buck and being movable by said arm toward and away from said buck, a friction clutch in the connection between the arm and base and operable for holding said arm against movement with respect to said base when said shoe is in operative position over said buck, means including a single lever carried by said arm and having a link extending to said shoe and operable for applying pressure to said shoe when said shoe is disposed in operative position over said buck, and an operative connection between said lever and said friction clutch for releasing the same when it is desired to move said shoe away from said buck.

3. Ironing apparatus comprising a base member, an arm member pivotally supported thereby, locking mechanism comprising an overrunning clutch operatively associated with said members for holding said arm member against movement in one direction relative to said base member, a buck element carried by one of said members, a shoe element carried by the other of said members, said elements being carried by said members for relative movement toward and away from each other, pressure applying means operatively connected between one of said members and the element carried thereby to separate the same and apply pressure against the other element while the members are locked to one another, a lever for operating said pressure applying means, means for releasing said locking mechanism for permitting movement of said shoe element away from said buck element, and an operative connection between said locking mechanism releasing means and said lever.

4. Ironing apparatus comprising a base, an arm pivotally connected to said base, a buck supported by said base, a shoe carried by said arm and movable therewith into operative relationship with respect to said buck, a locking connection comprising an overrunning clutch located upon the pivotal connection between the arm and base and adapted to lock the arm and the base against relative movement, means including an operating lever mounted on said arm for relatively separating the arm and shoe and to apply pressure against the buck while the arm and base are locked, and means for disengaging the overrunning clutch comprising linkage extending from the operating lever to the clutch.

THEODORE R. BUSH. SAMUEL E. BICKLE. 

